Cleaning machine



Feb.24,1942. y V.BEND|X y Y 2,274,121 CLEANING MACHINE' Filed Dec. 22, 1938 s Sheets- Sheet 1 INVENTOR. V/ A/CE'NT BEND/X ATTORNEYS.

Feb. 24, 1942. v BENDIX 2,274,121 CLEANING MACHINE Filed Dec 2Q, 1938 I5 Sheets-Sheet 2 II-IIIIIIJI I QENTQR. V/A CENT BEND/A ATTORNEYS.

Feb. 24, 1942, v. BENDIX CLEANING MACHINE FiledDec.-22, 193s s Sheets-Sheet s rfllllll! INVENTOR. I 2 l m/ce/vr BEN /x i ,ing a door which is shown arranged to"swlng- .part of the partition of the rotor;

Patented Feb. 24,

4 Vincent Bendix, New York, N. Y., assignor to Bendix Home Appliances, Inc., South Bend, Ind., a corporation of Delaware Application December 22, 1938, Serial No. 247,14

, 4 Claims.

This invention relates to cleaning machines,

and is illustrated as embodied in awashing machine of the open-end cylinder type adapted for operation under automatic control.

' An object of the invention is to adapt a machine of this character to handle a considerable volume of work in small separate lots, by providing the rotor of the machine with a partition dividing it into compartments. Preferably the partition is adjustable axially of the rotor.

' Where used in a rotor 'of the type illustrated, in-

tended to be loaded through an opening in one I end, another object of the invention is to provide 11, 1939,- modified as described in United States Patent No. 2,173,603, of Adiel Y. Dodge, dated September 19, 1939.-

As described in these patents, the rotor shaft I8 is driven either at washing or extracting speed by means such as a belt 26 driven by amotortransmission unit 28. There are water-inlet connections 30 discharging into the tub l4 through one or more nozzles 32; there is a screened drain sump34 controlled by a solenoid drain valve 36, and there is a solenoid 38 controlling the speed at which unit 28 drives the shaft l8. There is the partition with a central loading opening havoutwardly against the rotor wall.

Other objects andjfeatures of the invention, in-

" eluding a novel arrangement for supporting the outboard end of the rotor by a bearing carried by the tub wall and surrounding the loading opening in the tub wall, and other novel conalso float mechanism (not shown) controlling the water level.

A machine of this character is well adapted -for operation under automatic control, if desired,

as fully explained in the above-identified Bassett and Chamberlin patent.

structions and desirablearrangements, will be apparent from the following description of the illustrative embodiment .shown in the accom- 'panying drawings, in which: I

Figure '1 is a vertical section through the machine, in a plane passing through the rotor axis; Figured is a cross-section through the rotor, on the line 2-2 of Figure 1;

Figure 3 is a partial elevation of the lower Figures 4 and 5 are partial sections through the rotor on the lines 4-4 and 5 -5 of Figure 2; Figure 6 is a perspective view of part of the ex' terior of the rotor w 11; and

Figure 7 is a par ial section through a rotor having a fixed partition.

The machine illustrated is an automatically 4 7 controlled washing-rinsing-drying machine having a base In to which are welded saddles l2 carrying a horizontal cylindrical tub 14 having a loading opening, in its front end and having its rear end in the form of conical stampings I6 arranged'fa ce to face and carrying bearings for a rotor shaft l8.

The loading opening is closed, when the machine ,is operating, by a closure such as a door 20. The machine may be housed in a suitable cabinet 22, provided with a soap door 24 communlcating with the interior of the tub.

Except as further described below, the machine may be constructed and operated as described in United States Patent No. 2,165,884, of Rex Earl Bassett, Jr., and John W. Chamberlin, dated July 'I'heshaft l8,is attached to-and projects axially outward from, cooperating stampings 40 forming the rear end of anovel horizontal cylindrical perforated rotor or washing cylinder 42. rotor is formed with bafiles 44 pressedinto its peripheral wall, and which extend in the direction of the length of the rotor, and which are generally V-shaped' in section, projectinginwardly toward'the axis of the rotor.

I prefer to support the front or outboard end of the rotor upon the front wall of the tub by means of an anti-friction bearing consisting of a ring 46 having an annular flange surrounding I the loading opening and its closure '20, which bears on ,three or more annularly positioned rubber tired sealed ball. bearing rollers'41 secured to the tub end. If the shaft I8 is supported with sufficient rigidity this outboard bearing may be dispensed with. I According to an important feature of the invention, the rotor 42 is divided into compartments taking separate loads of clothes, by a partition 5| between its ends.

Preferably this partition is adjustable axially of the rotor, having welded thereto lugs 52 projecting through slots 54 in the walls of the baffles or ribs 44. These lugs 52 are rigidly secured to sleeves 56 slidably embracing rods 58 mounted on the exterior of the rotor, in the cavities formed by ballies 44. The sleeves 56 may be'provided with spring fingers 60 frictionally engaging the rods 58 and'holding the partition 50 in any positionto which it is shifted. 1

rearmost adjustment desired-for the partition This 50. The front ends of the rods 58 are, as shown in Figure 5, riveted over or otherwise secured to the hunt walls 01' the baflles 44, while brackets 62 may be provided for supporting the rear ends.

The partition 50 is shown as formed with a I central loading opening 84, alined with the loading opening in the front rotor'wall, this opening being provided with a novel closure such as a door 66.

This door-is insections which are mounted on a pivot68 carried by the partition 50 and by reinforcing rings surrounding the Opening 54, and swing outwardly when open against the rotor wall. The door sections 66 are shown with positioning lugs 12 welded thereto; these lugs fit when the door is closed into recesses 14 in the rings 10 to insure correct alinement.

When the door is closed, it is held yieldingly latched'by a spring latch 16 mounted on a pivot 18 carried by the ring 10 and engageable with notches 80 in the ends of the door sections 66. A pin 82 keeps the latch 18 from swinging out of position.

Figure 7 shows an arrangement with a partition I50 permanently attached (as by welding or riveting) to the wall of the rotor 42.

- 50' can be shifted to accommodate difierent sizes of loads.

While particular constructions have been described in detail, it is not my intention to limit the scope of the invention by the foregoingdescription or otherwise than by the terms of the appended claims. p

I claim:

1. A washing machine rotor having ashaft projecting axially outward at one end and havin: an opening in its other end, and provided with a partition between said ends dividing it into compartments, said partition bei'ng supported outside or the rotor for adjustment axially of the rotor, the supporting elements passing through slots in the side walls of the rotorextending parallel to the rotor axis.

2. Agwashing machine rotor'having a shaft projecting axially outward at one end and having an opening in its other end, provided* with a partition between said ends dividing it into compartments and which is adJustable axially of the rotor, guide rods secured to the rotor on the outer surface thereof, said rotor being formed with slots adjacent the guide rods, and supporting elements ,for said partition movably mounted on the guide rods and extending through said havingslots formed in the trailing surfaces of the baiiles,'and supporting elements for said par tition movably mounted on the guide rods and extending through the slots,

4.-A washing machine rotor generally cylindrical in form and provided with internal baflies extending in the direction or its length, a partition between its ends dividing it into compartments, guide rods secured to the outer surface of. the-rotor in the depression formed'by said bafiles, the wall of the rotor being formed with slots paralleling the guide rods, and supporting means for the partition extending through said slots.

VINCENT BENDIX. 

